Friday, March 31, 2017

Well, fellow babies, I've found even more photos pertaining to the Li'l General convenience stores I discovered in Florida during a 1973 visit! (Previous posts on this subject can be found here and here.)

The above illustration of a Li'l General store was one I didn't have before. The matchbook pictured below is one that has yet to show up on eBay, so I haven't had the opportunity to add one to my collection.

But here's the prize, something that eclipses even the Li'l General yo-yo I managed to score recently!

The wristwatch shown in the above photo was pointed out to me in the comment section of one of my previous Li'l General posts. It was presented on eBay as a "mystery character" and needless to say, I was highly intrigued. Unfortunately, the minimum bid for the watch was a little bit above what my current budget would allow, so it slipped through my fingers!

I can only hope I see one offered again someday, on eBay or anywhere else.

Monday, March 27, 2017

(Warning: Today's post is self-indulgent, stream-of-consciousness rambling. Even more than usual!)

No, please do not get excited by the above illustration. I will not be participating in this year's A-Z Challenge.

Why? (Or should that be, "Why not?")

Well, as it so often occurs where I'm concerned, it's complicated. But as long as I have you here anyway, here I go, rambling (as promised above). Take a deep breath. Or, as I used to say back when I often posted wordy entries, pack a lunch.

First of all, I joined the A-Z Challenge (in both 2014 and 2016) to promote my blog and encounter a few others. Both times, I ended up signing on to follow several blogs. Both times, several people decided to follow me as well. So, that worked. Or so it seemed...

In 2014, I got to know a lot of people who write what I call "writers' blogs." In other words, their blog's primary raison d'être is to aid, instruct, ask questions of, or otherwise deal with other bloggers interested in writing for publication, whether they're doing it mostly for fun, or desiring to make an actual living from it. (That I found so many "writers' blogs" is not a complaint, by the way. Just a long-winded statement.)

The blogs I found during the 2016 challenge seemed to have a little more variety, for no apparent reason. Just happenstance, I guess.

So, what's my problem, with several people signing up to follow me in both 2014 and 2016? Well, I learned that more than a few of the bloggers whose blogs I try to visit don't necessarily reciprocate, especially over time. A lot of the "followers" I gained during my forays into the A-Z Challenge didn't keep following.

Admittedly, almost no one has the time or inclination to read every single post on someone else's blog. I certainly don't. But there are some bloggers I follow (or, in most cases, I should say I used to follow) who either never visit my blog, or if they do, never let me know it by commenting. And, to amend my earlier statement, I realize that almost no one has the time or inclination to comment on every single post they read. (And again, that applies to me as well.) But never?

I've been accused in the distant past of being a comment whore, but let's be honest, here, fellow babies. What do we blog for if not a little bit of feedback? It's not like there's any real money in blogging. (I should know. I used to have little sidebar co-op ads from Google and Amazon, and after nine years, they netted me about a hundred dollars. Not quite enough to live by, fer shure fer shure.)

Also, while I'm on that subject, I should add that there are some readers whom I'm pretty sure read my blog regularly who rarely comment... but comment they do, at least once in a while.

But I oh-so-characteristically digress...

Now, in a similar vein, a lot of the bloggers I've been following for the last year or so don't post regularly. (Who the hell are you to talk, you may well ask. Hang on there, that's not my complaint.) And the authors of these blogs only seem to visit mine when I've commented on theirs. See the problem? This can be a bit frustrating, especially when I'm in the process of posting one of my multi-part fictional stories. I'll admit it. I am fervently hoping that people will read all of a multi-parter (and hopefully comment). Otherwise, what's the point?

I should point out here that I don't expect or demand that my "regulars" read all of my damned posts. As I said above, no one can (or want to) read them all. Even when there are so few, like the posts on my silly blog. Heh.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that I feel I've done a lot, and wound up with a little. It's made me wonder if it's all been worth the effort.

Finally, this year, the people who run the A-Z Challenge have done away with the "linky list." They've posted several ways for you to find out who's participating -- and I provided that link for those of you who are interested in joining the fun -- but frankly, it seems like a lot of extra work to me. I joined the challenge (both times) to have some fun, as well as prove to myself that I could be disciplined enough to post on a regular basis if I really put my mind to it. Both years, I succeeded. But, as I said, this time (along with the other reasons mentioned above), it just seems like a lot of extra work.

Well, that about sums up my reasoning, fellow babies.

On the other hand, if I follow your blog regularly, I certainly won't miss the chance to read your A-Z entries! So, there's that.

Wow, this was a long post. (And rathersomewhat incredibly self-serving, I'll admit.) I haven't done one of those for a while. I've probably written more here than I would have if I'd done this year's challenge instead!

Thanks for reading this far. Seriously. (Unless, of course, you just skipped to the end, you cheater!)

Thursday, March 23, 2017

In tonight's post (Or today's post. I know when I'm scheduling it to post, but how do I know when you'll be reading this?!?) I'll be discussing the so-called "Third Date Rule." (I also should mention that some sources refer to a Fifth Date Rule, claiming that the latter has superseded the former sometime during the last three years or so.)

Anyway, if you're unfamiliar with this rather odd concept, it says that the third date is the one on which a new couple is expected to sleep together for the first time. Well, that's all well and good, I suppose, but there are so many variables in a relationship, I think the whole idea of a "rule" for the first sexual encounter between two people is rather preposterous.

So here's a couple of questions for my readers:

Do you have a third (or fifth) date rule?

If so, let's say you're dating someone whom you like enough to continue dating, but as of the second date, you don't feel comfortable enough with him (or her*) to sleep with him. So what do you do on the third date? Sleep with him anyway, because you've already committed yourself to this nonsensical rule? Or refuse to date this person a third time, to avoid being forced (by your own stupid rule) to have sex? And if you say you'll make an exception to your rule... well, it's not really a rule, then, is it?

*I don't know if "her" applies, since I don't know if any guys have a third date rule. Most guys would jump into bed at the first opportunity. And I'm a guy, so I can't justifiably be called sexist for saying that. Or can I?

Just curious. I've never dated anyone who had such a rule.

(And by the way, the above illustration is placed there in reference to "getting over the hump," so to speak, and not in reference to "getting humped!" This is a classy blog, don'tcha know!)

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Here's a comic book cover I spotted somewhere on the internet. I regrettably can't recall whereI found it. (UPDATE: Duh! I just noticed the website address of my source printed in green at the bottom of the freakin' illustration! This came from a website called Stupid Comics! Unfortunately, I don't know the exact web address of this particular entry.)

A bit spooky, if you ask me!

(I'm pretty sure the head on the left belongs to Fabian. The head in the middle appears to be that of Dwayne Hickman, who was portraying Dobie Gillis on CBS' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in 1960. The third head, partially obscured, baffles me. Any guesses, fellow babies?)

I Was Chosen BLOG OF THE MONTH ~ November 2011

I Won "The Goddess Award!"

Unfortunately, the "Everyday Goddess" site is no longer available, but here is the post that won the award for me!

What to Expect from This Blog, and from Me:

The Lair of the Silver Fox will contain anything I want it to contain. Sometimes I'll just ramble about my varied interests. Other times, if and when my muse cooperates, I may present you with stories, both fictional and non-fictional. (And just because something is supposedly "true," it doesn't mean that it's 100% true! You've been warned!) Some will be serialized in chapter form, while others will be one-part, stand-alone stories. Occasionally, there will be personal anecdotes, able to be called "stories" in a very loose sense. I may discuss unfinished or unpublished projects. Now and then, there will be articles containing opinions, or information, or anything else I want them to contain, and that includes occasional, somewhat feisty David'Z RantZ entries, which will be prominently labeled as such. I also have an occasional feature called Comical Wednesday! I am prone to writing tribute posts when prominent (or obscure) celebrities die. There might even be poems or songs. I will post items that have been published elsewhere, operating under the assumption that if you haven't seen it here, you haven't seen it at all.

The Lair of the Silver Fox will not always be what you expect it to be, or even -- sometimes -- what you want to see. But then again, if it were, it'd be your blog, and not mine, right?